Three Wānaka men flatting together in Auckland have had to abandon the house they were renting due to the flooding that occurred in the city on Friday (January 27).

Jack Williams, Daniel Regal, and Harry Falconer are all ex Mount Aspiring College students who now live on King George Avenue in Epsom.

“The water was up to my neck outside our house and one of my flatmates is a bit shorter and he had to actually swim,” Jack said.

“There was an incredible amount of water there.”

Water flooded the bottom floor of the house.

Jack said it was just coincidence the flatmates were all home in the early evening on Friday when it started to rain heavily.

“We knew there was going to be heavy rain and strong winds on Friday but none of us thought too much of it as we’d had some pretty heavy rain over the past few months,” he said.

“We noticed the rain was quite heavy and a decent size puddle started to form in the garden.”

He said water quickly built up on the front patio near their front door.

“More and more water started coming and it escalated so we tried to divert it but then the area we were diverting it too started to fill up,” Jack said.

The men began moving furniture and electronics from the bottom floor of the house.

“Then the front door burst open and a massive wave of water came in,” Jack said. 

The men had to board the front door of the house shut after it burst open.

“We were wading in water just above the knees and then we realised that our cars were under water so we started moving cars to higher ground.

“We were too late in getting Harry’s car and one of my other flatmate’s moped.”

Jack said they decided they couldn’t stay the night and at 11pm they gathered essential belongings, placed them on a kayak and swam to safety.

“Now we’re applying for emergency housing, and we’re just waiting to find out what’s going on with the rental,” he said. 

“We’re just waiting to see if we have a house.”

Jack said everywhere is muddy, there are cars abandoned everywhere, traffic lights don’t work and it is still raining.

‘It’s definitely one I hope I don’t have to live again,” he said.

PHOTOS: Supplied